Better Off
by undeniableobsession
Summary: Senior Year brings along a lot of changes in the Cohen House Ryan gets a little too comfortable with the “in” crowd and again Seth has no crowd, while Lorraine Cohen, begins her freshman year at Harbour has no problem with fitting in with the opposite sex
1. Thanks for the summer

Better Off

_Senior Year brings along a lot of changes in the Cohen House, Ryan gets a little too comfortable with the "in" crowd and again Seth has no crowd, while Lorraine Cohen, beings her freshman year at Harbour has no problem with fitting in with the opposite sex. _

Light beamed through the many windows of the Cohen family mansion. It was an unusually hot late August morning. Sandy Cohen was out before dawn to get in his morning surf that cleared his head; living with three teenagers wasn't the easiest and his father in laws mischief with the law didn't help much. The house was always chaotic these days, they just finished renovating and with Kirstin being "unofficially" in charge of the Newport Group, it seemed they never sat down for a meal together anymore. Sandy walked into a quiet house. It was almost 7:00, Ryan was probably in the pool house bathroom taking a shower and just like his wife, Seth and Lorraine were the hardest to wake up in the morning.

By 7:45 every Cohen was in the kitchen grabbing a quick breakfast.

"Ryan, how many times do I have to tell you?" Kirstin asked obviously annoyed "We have bowls for a reason." She continued after she caught him eating cereal out of the box again.

Ryan just gave Kirstin an apologetic look and jumped off the bar stool to grab a bowl.

"So honey, are you ready for your first day at Harbor High School?" Sandy asked, as he dropped a kiss on his 14 year old daughter's forehead.

"Dad, I have gone to Harbor all my life, it is all the same people, every year is the same." Lorraine said while eating her low fat granola bar.

"Hey, this year could be different." Sandy said optimistically.

"I hope not, last year I was voted most popular and I can't let that bitch Olivia beat me out of it this year." Lorraine said seriously while filing her short, bitten off finger nails.

"Hey, watch your mouth, young lady." Sandy said as he got up from the table and brought his coffee cup over to the sink.

"Yes, watch your mouth, young lady." Seth said trying to imitate his father.

"Seth, that new car of yours and Ryan's can be all Ryan's." Sandy said sternly.

"Yes, Seth, that new car of yours can be all mine." Ryan said trying to mock Seth who imitated their father.

This past summer, the Cohen's finally adopted Ryan after his 17th birthday and he was now officially a Cohen. He changed his last name to Cohen, so that he could try to get over his past and focus on his future; senior year, college applications, everything but Chino. He finally got what he wanted and so did Seth; a new car. It was Ryan and Seth's present. Sandy and Kirstin thought it was time for them to have a car of their own, since every other senior at Harbour had gone through at least two or three cars by now.

"Ryan don't forget, right home after school, your grounded." Sandy reminded his son in a harsh tone.

"I have soccer tryouts." Ryan said, daring him to say he couldn't go.

"Fine, I will pick you up at 5:00" Sandy replied.

"Thanks, but I am sure Luke or Andrew or someone can give me a ride home." Ryan said trying to get the point across that he did not want Sandy picking him up.

"Or I can pick you up." Sandy said in don't argue with me voice.

"Right, because I'm ten years old," Ryan mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Ya know Ryan, I can pick you up at 2:30 instead, if you would prefer?" Sandy said getting aggravated with his new son.

"Let's go Seth, don't want to be late." Ryan said getting up and putting his bowl in the sink. "Oh, I can drive to school with Seth, right Sandy?" Ryan asked sarcastically.

The sarcastic mark didn't go over well with Sandy though "Maybe a week wasn't long enough."

Ryan choose to ignore the comment, knowing that would just get himself into more trouble if he continued with his smart remarks that just kept on coming. He headed toward the month old black Hummer, that he could call his own.

"Lorraine, are you coming with us?" Seth asked getting up and grabbing his messenger bag.

"Well, of course she is, how else would she get to school?" Kirstin asked.

"Actually John is picking me up. So no, I do not need a ride and besides I would never be seen with you at school. Its bad enough we have the same last name." Lorraine said rolling her eyes.

"I love you too." He said smiling to her as he walked out of the kitchen headed for the front door.

Lorraine just blew him a kiss as he walked by, and then rolled her eyes.

"Now, who is John again?" Sandy said obviously confused.

"A friend, I am allowed to have friends right?" Lorraine asked with attitude. She hated when her father did this, just because he was a boy, and he was near her daddy's precious little girl.

"Of course you are." Sandy said as he got the look from Kirstin saying, stop it, he is just a friend. "What grade is the "friend" in? He can drive?" Sandy asked becoming curious of who this new "friend" was.

"Yes he can drive, he is a senior." Lorraine said getting annoyed.

"A senior huh?" Sandy replied giving his wife the look of uh-oh. "Do your brothers know him?"

"I know Ryan does, why dad, what is the big deal, we are friends, ok?" Lorraine said trying to end this conversion.

Luckily the doorbell rang and she ran out of the kitchen as fast as she could, not even hearing her dad yell,

"Bye, sweetie, I love you, BE CAREFUL"

Lorraine was your typical Newport spoiled little brat. She got everything she wanted, whenever she wanted it. Although she didn't look like your normal Harbour High School poster girl, with her dark chestnut hair that was usually thrown back in a pony tail and her daily attire of mostly tee-shirts and jeans or occasionally, a cute jean skirt. She always looked cute though. She must being looking good, if all the guys chase her as much as they do. The fact that she is the star of her soccer team, surfs almost every day and knows more about sports than Seth, is just an added bonus.


	2. This Could Never Happen in a Perfect Wor...

Seth drove the five minute ride to school, with Ryan fiddling with the radio. There was never any good music on in the morning, only those stupid talk shows. Seth finally broke the silence like usual,

"So bro, were seniors? How cool is that? We now rule this school." Seth asked rambling on about how cool it is that they are now seniors.

"Yea, Seth, it's awesome." Ryan said shaking his head, who cares if we are seniors? He asked himself. It is not going to be any different.

Seth and Ryan got to school and got to park in the senior parking lot.

"C'mon Ryan, park this close to school, before we had to park a mile away, isn't this the best?" Seth questioned rambling on again.

Ryan just rolled his eyes and kept walking towards the school building. Luke spotted him and called him over.

"Dude, how's it going?" Luke asked giving Ryan a handshake and a pat on the back.

"I'm living." Ryan said in a monotone.

"I take it you're grounded from last weekend? I haven't talked to you since." Luke questioned.

"Yea, not to bad, a week." Ryan replied "I got away with the drinking, they didn't even know, it was just because I was so late."

"That rocks, we are having another bonfire this weekend, you know it wouldn't be the same without ya." Luke chuckled.

"Yea, I will see if it goes down with my parents." Ryan said before Seth approached the group of guys hanging around Luke and Ryan.

"Yo, I was looking all over for ya." Seth said to Ryan as he came up to the group of boys.

"Oh, what's up Cohen, broke up with Summer I see, come out of the closet finally? Good cover up though man, I would bang Summer even if I was a queer too." Andrew joked while the other boys started in a fit of laughter.

"Why do you hang out with this fag Ryan?" Brandon asked after he got his laughter under control.

"Guys, chill, Seth I'll catch up with you later." Ryan said, not knowing what to say, he really liked hanging out with these guys, they were his type but Seth was his brother. He didn't know who to defend?

School went quite normal for the first day. Ryan didn't have any classes with Seth which wasn't surprising since Seth was in all A.P courses while, Ryan was only in two. They didn't even have lunch together this year. Seth was extremely disappointed, while Ryan was actually relieved. Seth was a great friend, but he was more of a brother now, then a best friend. They were arguing more and more with each day that passed. Ryan needed to expand out and that was what he had been trying to do over the summer. He became pretty close with Luke and the rest of the jocks from the soccer team. While Seth got a job at this new music club called that Bait Shop down at the pier. Summer and he did break up after that lunch with Summer's father. He was devastated at first but soon got over it and was getting pretty friendly with his co-worker Alex. Ryan was still with Marissa but often thought about breaking up with her but didn't want to, because he knew what it would do to her. He just wanted to hang out with his guys friends, it felt like old times when he hung out with Luke and the other guys, he felt like his was hanging with his buddies back in Chino. They were like him, they shared the same interests as he did, sports, sex and partying.

As Ryan was heading to the locker rooms to get changed for soccer tryouts, Lorraine stopped him.

"Hey, Ryan" Lorraine called running up to her older brother "Will you please do me a big favor?"

"It depends what it is?" Ryan said curiously.

"Will you tell mom and dad that I am going over to Erin's after school, and I will be home later?" Lorraine asked.

"Sure, why where are you really going?" Ryan asked not liking the sound of this.

"To John's." Lorraine replied.

"I am not lying to your parents for you." Ryan said and started to turn around.

"C'mon please." Lorraine pleaded.

"I am already in trouble, if they know I knew about this, they would kill me." Ryan said not bugging.

"Ryan, c'mon how many times have you broke the rules?" Lorraine said chuckling. "How many times did you come home drunk this past summer and I knew about it, but I never said anything." Lorraine said realistically.

"Fine, but I knew nothing about this." Ryan started "You told me you were going to Erin's, that's all I know." Ryan said again starting to walk away.

"Thanks, I love you so much. Where were you like the past 14 years of my life, you are so much cooler than Seth." Lorraine said as she pulled Ryan into a quick hug and ran off down the hall.

Ryan just shook his head as he walked into the boy's locker room.

Sandy kept his word and was waiting outside of school at promptly 5:00. Sandy would never admit it, but he kind of liked the fact that Ryan was rebelling a little and talking back to him and Kirstin. It showed that he finally felt at home. He was making some of his own friends, even if it was Luke, who Sandy wasn't particularly fond of.

Ryan entered the car and Sandy asked the usual after school questions. How was school? Do you like your classes? Do you have any homework? How were soccer tryouts? The same questions were asked daily and the same two syllable answers were giving, okay, okay, good, not much more than that. Ryan still wasn't into the talking thing, well at least not when it came to expressing his feelings.

When he got home, he went to the family room and practiced mastering his playstation skills. Seth was at work and Lorraine was where ever with John and since Ryan was forced to be at home, he had to entertain himself somehow. He was glad Sandy didn't tell him that while he was grounded he couldn't play playstation or watch t.v. He did that to Seth one time and Seth was going insane, he was unbearably annoying the whole time, Sandy took back those restrictions for the sake of keeping his family's sanity in tact.

Seth came home an hour later and totally ignored Ryan's greeting of "Hey man," and ran upstairs and retreated to his room. Ryan just rolled his eyes, he knew what this was about and he figured Seth would be over it by now.

Not long after, Sandy announced that dinner was ready and for the first time noticed that Lorraine was not home. He hated having a big house sometimes.

"Where is Lorraine?" Sandy asked to no one in particular.

"Oh, I forgot to tell her, she told me to tell you she went to Erin's, she will be home later." Ryan replied looking down at his food, he was never a very good liar.

"At least she could have had the courtesy to call and tell us she would not be joining us for dinner." Kirstin said irritably.

"So how was your day boy's?" Kirsten asked Seth and Ryan.

"Okay" Ryan replied while picking up a spoonful of Thai noodles.

"Oh, my day was pretty good until I got to school, where I was made fun by my best friend's new friends and my best friend stood there and didn't do a thing about." Seth started "Way to have a friend's back right?" Seth said showing how mad he was at Ryan.

"Seth, get over it." Ryan said picking up another spoonful.

"Dude, you stood there." Seth said furiously.

"What the hell did you want me to do?" Ryan said throwing down his fork. "Punch him? Ah, no Seth, not gonna happen. What did you do for the 15 years I wasn't here and they did the same thing to you." Ryan shouted. "Start to stick up for your self."

"You didn't have to like just blow me off though." Seth said obviously still upset.

"I was talking to my friends, I am sorry you don't get along but they are still my friends." Ryan stated much more calmly.

"And what am I, just your best friend and your brother right man?" Seth exclaimed.

"Okay, enough, what is going on here?" Sandy finally broke in completely clueless.

"Nothing, I am finished can I be excused?" Ryan asked Sandy becoming extremely angry.

"No, not until someone tells me, what is wrong?" Sandy said becoming angry himself.

"Ryan's friends were mocking me today and he stood their laughing at me." Seth said in a very hurt full voice.

"I did not laugh Seth, and I am the ones who stopped them. You are just mad because I am friends with them." Ryan exasperated.

"I am not, I have my own friends too." Seth yelled "I am mad because you didn't stand up for me."

"You are 17 years old, stand up for your self." Ryan shouted before getting up and throwing his plate in the sink and ignoring Sandy's requests to sit his ass back down as he retreated to the pool house.

Sandy immediately got up to follow him out there but Kirsten suggested he wait till Ryan cooled down. Seth had enough too and followed Ryan out of the kitchen and to his room.

Sandy and Kirsten decided to pop in a movie while they patiently waited for Lorraine to come home.

"And where the hell have you been? It is 9:00, you don't even call." Sandy started as he jumped off the couch at the sound of the front door opening.

"Dad, calm down, I was at Erin's, didn't Ryan tell you? We were doing a project, we were busy sorry I didn't call." Lorraine said taken back by her father's reaction.

"I called Mrs. Higgins, Lorraine, so tell us where you really were." Kirsten said in a much calmer voice than her husbands.

Lorraine looked at the ground, shit she thought, she didn't know if she should tell them the truth or come up with some believable lie.

"You were with that guy weren't you?" Sandy said finally putting it all together.

"God damn it, I told you Kirsten, I told you letting her hang out with that kid was a bad idea." Sandy continued after seeing her reaction to his hypothesis.

"Go to your room, your grounded." Sandy said shaking his head.

"Dad, why is it such a big deal that I am hanging around a guy?" Lorraine started obviously upset at her new sentencing. "How many times did Ryan and Seth sneak Marissa and Summer into the house, but because I am a girl, it's not okay."

Sandy quickly cut her off now yelling, "No, it's not because you are a girl, it is because you are 14 Lorraine, your brothers are 17. When are you going to understand that they will get more privileges than you do?" Sandy finished.

"So what I am 14, that doesn't mean that they can't get Summer and Marissa pregnant the same way I can get pregnant. You are so clueless Dad; you have no idea what they do right in front of you." Lorraine said now yelling back.

Sandy was a little taken back, he really didn't care if it was just any guy who was around his daughter, but the fact that he was three years older and most likely more experienced, just worried him. This kid could influence her more than others and she was his little girl and he wasn't ready to let her go.

"DON'T YOU EVER RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME! I don't care what your brothers do, this is not about your brothers it is about you." Sandy said now furious.

"Of course you don't care what they do, they are your boys, you favor them so much" Lorraine exclaimed.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding, Seth did not have a credit card at the age of 14, Seth did not have a cell phone at the age of 14, Seth did not have an 11:00 curfew at the age of 14, you are such a spoiled little brat."

"Right dad, whatever, I am spoiled; I don't have half as much as my friends do."

"I know Lorraine, you are so deprived. This is not a discussion, your grounded and I don't want to see that kid around again." Sandy finally stated before walking out to the back door, he was on the war path and Ryan was his next victim.

As soon as he walked in the pool house after one small knock at the door, his angry escalated.

"Marissa?" Sandy asked in shock?

"uh Hi, Mr. Cohen, see you later Ryan" Marissa said in a hurry as she ran out the door with her shirt half off.

"Tonight was not the night to piss me off Ryan." Sandy started in a very high voice. "Start packing your things, you're moving into the house tomorrow, right after school, no soccer."

"Sandy" Ryan said in a soft voice.

"Don't Sandy me, first you're grounded and you know there are not supposed to be any visitors, second you know the rules of this house, we had this talk before Ryan."

Sandy walked out of the pool house, he needed to get away, maybe a walk on the beach would help him ease his mind.


	3. CHARACTER ANALYSIS as requested not part...

Sorry for the wait. I had this typed and then my computer had to get fixed and I lost everything, so I am going to have to start again. A lot of the last reviews I received had questions about the characters, so I am going to expand on them some more for you guys.

Lorraine- Lorraine is the Cohen's daughter. She is 14 and basically your typical Newport Girl. Although her look is quite different from what we are used to seeing, she is into the whole shopping, tanning, and partying thing. She is a really big partier but it is oblivious to her parents at the moment. They have not realized that she is growing up yet. The biggest thing she is into though is sports. She is really athletic and is the star of the varsity soccer team as a freshman. She has Sandy's love for surfing and tries to catch some waves at least once a day. She isn't quite as book smart as Seth but maintains a decent grade point average with her parent's constant nagging. She isn't into the Gucci and Prada but more just for your typical Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollister. Jeans, little mini skirts, screened T's and little flip flops or a pair of Pumas are what you will mostly find her in. She is defiantly more rebellious of the two biological Cohen children and isn't afraid to speak her mind to anybody. That could be why she is the most popular girl in her grade level and is destined to be the next Marissa Cooper, should I dare say such a thing. All guys love her and want her for either her natural beauty, with her dark brownie hair color, and perfect shaped body or for the fact she knows more about sports than Seth ever will.

Ryan – Ryan has opened up since the Cohen's adopted him and he officially became a Cohen. He isn't so afraid of doing what he likes and hanging around with guys he can relate too. He goes to parties and watches porn with Luke and his friends. Marissa and him are still a couple. The baby thing with Theresa never happened. I just wanted a different outlook on Ryan, he tries so hard to be the perfect kid for the Sandy and Kirsten and I know that if he was really theirs he wouldn't try so hard.

Seth - Is back to the old Seth; The Seth with no friends and just a plastic horse. Summer broke up with him after the whole lunch ordeal with her father. Ryan has made new friends and Seth-Ryan time is hard to fit in lately. He does work at the "Bait Shop" and is friendly with Alex but not more than just friends. I can't talk much more about Seth because I will give the story away.

One last thing, Caleb is still in legal trouble but Lindsey has nothing to do with it. Lindsey is in no way related to Ryan or has past connections with the Nichol family what so ever.


	4. It Seems so Out of Place Now

The next morning the Cohen family breakfast was oddly quiet. Seth was ignoring Ryan, Lorraine wasn't talking to anybody, as she was listening to her iPod purposely to drown out her family members and Ryan didn't have much to say to Sandy and even less to say to Seth.

"Ryan, are your things packed?" Sandy asked in a harsh tone.

Ryan refused to speak and just nodded his head to indicate that his things were indeed packed and he was ready to move into the house.

"Good, what color do you want on the walls? The contractors are coming today to paint, and put all your new furniture in there," Sandy asked.

When Ryan just shrugged his shoulders and went back to reading the newspaper and sipping his coffee, Sandy joked "Okay, pink it is then, or maybe purple, what do you think Kirsten?"

Kirsten just blankly store at him, indicating that the sarcastic remark was not funny.

There was a beep outside and Ryan thanked god quietly. He could get away from this torture.

"It's Luke, c ya," Ryan sighed unhappily as he pushed out his chair and threw the coffee cup in the sink.

Lorraine followed Ryan off her chair and was headed for the door when her father called "and where are you going?"

"With Ryan and Luke, you really don't expect me to ride with him do you?" Lorraine asked, as she pointed to her brother who was sitting at the table reading a section of the newspaper.

"I am glad I am so loved around here," Seth mumbled to no one in particular.

Once Ryan and Lorraine were finally standing under the bright morning sun that was shining down in the Cohen's driveway, Lorraine finally spoke, "thanks so much, I owe you." She said to Ryan as she quickly landed a kiss on his cheek and ran to the escalade at the end of the driveway.

Ryan called after her, "I can't keep doing this Lorraine." As he jumped into Luke's blue truck and slammed the door.

School was like usual, uneventful and by lunch Ryan was beyond bored. Ryan was over the school thing. Last year he worked his ass off to receive good grades and make Kirsten and Sandy proud. Last year was the year that colleges really looked at grades, and Ryan was pretty sure that with a 3.7 G.P.A. junior year and his SAT scores, he could get into a pretty decent school next year. So when Luke suggested that they all just bail afternoon classes and go hang out at the pier, Ryan didn't think twice about it, he was in.

He knew that if the school called, he would be likely killed by Sandy but he was already grounded, what was another week?

They went down to the crab shack, grabbed some grub and then headed down to the beach. The beach was pretty deserted besides the dropout stoners who lived on the beach, and lived for the massive waves they could catch during the day and the mammoth parties that could put together all night long. Ryan really wasn't into the surfing thing and not so much for even the beach scene, but the guys decided to put together a game of sand soccer. They played until Ryan realized it was almost 3:00 and if he wasn't home by then, Sandy would most defiantly have his ass.

Luke dropped Ryan off and Ryan headed right for the kitchen when he got home.

He rummaged through the fridge basically ignoring Sandy's daily questions, but when Sandy asked "so what was going on with you and Marissa last night?" Ryan momentarily stopped moving things around in the refrigerator. "Nothing," he answered almost immediately.

"It didn't look like nothing," Sandy stated as Ryan realized that there was nothing that looked to appetizing in the refrigerator and moved onto the pantry.

"It was nothing," Ryan responded becoming aggravated, he tried changing the subject, "Is my room finished?"

"No, almost, they are just setting everything up in there."

"So, Marissa just happened…" Sandy started before Ryan let out a big sigh, grabbed a bag of chips out of the pantry and headed to the family room.

Ryan turned on the Playstation and took a seat on the coach with his chips and a controller.

"Don't walk away from me when I am talking to you," Sandy scolded instantly and then continued in a much louder voice once he saw what Ryan was beginning to do, "What are you doing, you're grounded, no videogames."

Ryan turned around and gave him a look like your kidding me right? And went right back to playing.

"Ryan, I'm not joking, turn it off, NOW!" Sandy said in harsh tone.

Ryan paused the game and turned around to face Sandy, "Why do you care now? I was playing yesterday and no one cared."

"Ryan, don't question me, just do what I say," Sandy said coming around to face Ryan.

Ryan knew he wasn't going to win this argument, so he got up threw the controller down as hard as he could and stomped out of the family room. Where could he go, that he was allowed to go and wouldn't get bothered? The pool house.

Sandy sighed and wanted to race after him but he thought that if he did he might feel the urge to put a hand on the kid, and that was the worst thing he could do. So he walked into his office and slammed the door and started on the pile of documents that were laying on his desk.

Seth began to think it was hopeless. Well actually that thought had crossed his mind many times but he never actually believed it. He never believed it when Ryan told him no matter how bright he made the flyers, or how big the lettering was, no one was going to notice or care about some comic book club. He should just give up, it was Ryan and Seth in the comic book club, well now, it was just Seth. Seth really couldn't even say what happened. After Summer broke up with Seth, Seth never wanted to do the party scene thing and Ryan was with Marissa at the party scene every night. Seth – Ryan video game time began to dwindle and Ryan started to bring over his new friends to play video games with. Ryan never actually joined in, in the mocking of Seth, but he didn't stop it either. They started arguing over stupider and stupider things and finally they barely ever talked to each other about what was going on in their lives. They had two separate lives now, Ryan had Marissa and Luke and his crew and Seth had work and Alex.

Seth continued to post up the bright neon colored comic book club flyers and pass them out to random people scattered around the school after school. It was when he was about to give up and was headed for the parking lot, when he caught a glimpse of a group of kids that actually might be remotely interested in the comic book club.

He headed for the group of three boys gathered around the dumpsters.

"Hey there," Seth began.

"Yo, whatcha ya got there?" The kid with a black clash t-shirt and pair of tight black dickies and a pair of DC skater sneakers asked pointing to the pile of neon colored papers in Seth's hand.

"Oh, just this new comic book club, I am introducing to Harbour. Thought you guys might be interested." Seth responded, giving a flyer to all three boys.

All three of the boys snickered, but then responded, "Yea, maybe."

The boy that originally greeted Seth got a zip lock bag out of his pocket and offered it to Seth, "You want some man? We just rolled it."

"Uh… naw.. I got head to work, but uh… Thanks," Seth said before turning around to start to walk away.

"Yo… where do you work?"

"Oh, just up at the Bait Shop on the pier,"

"Really, my sister manages that place, Alex."

Seth immediately turned around at the sound of that name. Alex, he is Alex's brother. Hmm.. can't see it at all, but his hair is dyed jet black.

"So do you work there to pay off Alex or something?"

Seth stood there dumbfounded.

"You know, she gets the drugs for you, you work there, and you don't have to pay her."

Oh, now I get it. But Alex is a drug dealer?

"Oh, no… it's not like that, I really just wanted free tickets to the shows," Seth chuckled.

"This kid is tripping, lets jet." One of the boys said that looked beyond high.

Seth turned around again and headed to the parking lot.

"YO, you want a lift?" Alex's brother called after him.

"Uh, thanks but I got a car." Seth responded pointing in the direction of his hummer.

Ryan must have fallen asleep in the pool house because the next thing he knew Kirsten was standing over him, shaking him and telling him it was time for dinner.

Lorraine, Seth and Sandy were already seated around the table, throwing food onto their plates when Kirsten and Ryan walked into the kitchen. Sandy shot a glance at Ryan that Ryan didn't miss. Ryan took the only seat left next to Seth. They still had not spoken since their scene yesterday at dinner. Seth was rambling about school and work like usual, he sat there quiet and so did everyone else, no one in the Cohen house could ever fill Seth's silence.


	5. I'm Going No Where Fast

1**I'm Good to Go **

_Hey, thanks for all the reviews, truly, I am so unsure where I want to really go with this story, now, I am just building a plot I guess or maybe I am just rambling on like Seth. Anyway, I do have a few ideas in mind for the future, but I just enjoy writing this story. Hey, also check out my other story I have going on now, "Isn't Half as Fun as Growing Up Can Be" and keep up the reviews, and I will keep the story up. _

The next day Ryan was again banned from going to soccer practice because of his mouth yesterday Sandy had said. The coach had already stopped him in the hall and asked why he wasn't there yesterday. Ryan just said he had some family stuff to take care of and that he didn't think he would be able to make it today. The coach was not happy and said that he was going to have to work his ass off when he came back to practice.

When Ryan came home that day, he was surprised that Sandy wasn't home. After Sandy had "left" the office, he had been home way too often. During the summer he could get away with anything, Kirsten and Sandy were always at work, or meetings or dinners and when they weren't at work, they were in bed, and they never noticed when the kids left or when they came back. Ryan liked that, because he was sure if they knew the kinds of stuff he had pulled this past summer, he would have been grounded for a lot longer than a week.

Ryan really wanted to go to that bomb fire this weekend, and he was sure if he pissed Sandy off any more, it would be a definite no, not that he had much of chance of Sandy saying yes as it was.

After Ryan finished his homework, for the first time since the beginning of Senior Year, he retreated to the couch with a book. Lorraine was the first one home and the first thing she did was jump over the couch onto Ryan.

"What's up loser?" Lorraine asked pointing to his book questionably.

Ryan jumped and then exclaimed "Ow!"

Lorraine sat on his legs and picked up the remote off the coffee table.

"Would you mind getting off my legs?" Ryan asked becoming annoyed.

"Naw, I'm good" Lorraine said putting more pressure onto his legs.

Lorraine finally settled on a television station, and of course it was playing the hit show, The Valley.

"I refuse to watch this," Ryan stated.

"So don't." Lorraine shot back.

"You're grounded anyway, you shouldn't be watching TV. at all."

"Oh okay, because we always obey our parents" Lorraine smiled.

"C'mon, I don't want your dad to come home and see me watching TV; I want to go to this bomb fire this weekend."

"Yea, I already asked him and he told me no, she if he tells you yes, I will flip, but don't count it."

"Neither one of you are going," Sandy said stepping into the family room and scaring both Lorraine and Ryan, "Lorraine turn off the TV. and go do your homework."

"What about him?" Lorraine asked turning off the television and pointing to Ryan.

"Why can't I go? I was grounded for a week, my week is over on Thursday," Ryan testified.

"I never said you were still grounded, I just don't want you going to the bomb fire."

"Why? What is the difference if I go there or some party or something like that?"

"Because the last time you went to a bomb fire, you came home at two o'clock in the morning, and you smelled like alcohol and marijuana."

"But..." Ryan started but was immediately cut off by Sandy.

"But, you weren't using them, good, I'm glad, but I don't want you to get tempted." Sandy said and then changing the subject, "Is your homework done?"

"Yea" Ryan stated obviously upset,

"Good, you can come help me make dinner." Sandy told Ryan, before heading for his bedroom to get changed.

"Great" Ryan said to himself.

After dinner, Ryan and Seth were still not on speaking terms, and Ryan knew Seth would never be the mature one and come and talk to Ryan, so Ryan knew he had to take the inactive. So after finishing loading the dish washer with Lorraine he headed upstairs and knocked on Seth's door and opened the door.

"Well Hello there," Seth said sarcastically as Ryan stepped into his bedroom, "I don't think I gave you permission to enter my space of solitude."

"Seth, stop acting like such a child, now seriously what is really up with you?"

"What's up with me? Hmm… Where should I start? Should I start with the fact that ever since I broke up with Summer, you have like totally forgotten that I even exist, or the fact that when you do seem to notice me for like a millisecond, you blow me off, for your oh so cool, shaved chest friends." Seth spat out quickly and cold heartedly.

"Seth, you overreact about everything, I did not blow you off, I simply said I would catch up with you later and I have not ignored you the last two months, we have hung out a couple of times"

"God, Ryan" Seth mocked throwing his hand to his hurt and falling onto his bed, "kill me now master, you have graced me with your presence a couple of times and I am questioning you," Seth scorned, "please, Ryan, just have me executed, I deserve it."

"Ok, Seth, just shut up, see this is why I can't stand hanging out with you."

Seth shot up from his lying down position into a sitting one, "Oh, so now you can't stand to hang out with me, that's cool…, just get out of my room dude."

"Seth, c'mon, I didn't mean it like that." Ryan tried to explain.

"Right Ryan, it get it man, you're just too damn cool for me now, I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, you can't stop the inevitable, not even me."

"Seth, see you don't even listen to people, you just assume everybody has something against you."

"Ok Ryan, you have the floor buddy, talk" Seth said and then realized how ironic that sounded, "This should be humorous." He mumbled to himself.

"Seth, the other day I just didn't want anything to start between you and those guys, but they are my friends, so if you can't get along with them, I'm sorry and I'm sorry if I'm not dropping everything and everyone for you these days but Seth, you know you can always count on me, I am here man."

"It seems like it," Seth mocked.

"You're my brother; I would put everybody before you, in a serious situation."

"Thanks, I'm grateful."

"Do you take anything seriously? Because Seth, I am being serious."

"I take my friendships seriously, my bonding with a certain friend, my trust and loyalty with that friend; Yea I take that seriously, actually rather seriously. But to him, it is all a big joke; I'm a joke to him."

"You are so immature; I don't know why I wasted my time talking to you."

"Yep, I am immature and a waste of time; Thanks buddy, anything else? I mean I got that I am annoying to hang out with, I don't take anything seriously, I overreact about everything, dude you got to have more…"

"Wow, get a life, not everyone is against Seth, so stop thinking that the world is just out to get ya, because its not, we all have better things to do." And with that Ryan dismissed himself and left a "bam" as the door slammed behind him.

Seth plopped back on his bed, god he hated this, he just wanted the old Ryan back, his best friend, his only ally, now all he had was a brother, a brother, who he knew would be there if he needed him, but that wasn't good enough for Seth, Seth was used to having everything he wanted, and he wanted Ryan as his best friend, but all those bridges were way past burned.

Ryan walked down the hall to his new, dark gray colored bedroom and proceeded to slam that door. He hated this, he hated the fact that Seth thought he hated him; he hated the fact that Seth and him were constantly fighting and arguing over the stupidest things, he hated the actuality that Seth and him were becoming more like Trey and him back in Chino. He hated that they didn't feel comfortable around each other anymore, that they didn't talk anymore, that they didn't bond anymore. He hated it all, and he wanted the Seth that he knew back. Maybe it is my fault though, maybe I got caught up with Marissa and Luke and the Soccer team that I did forget that Seth was even around. Now, I just need to try to fix our friendship.

Ryan finished writing the note and slipped it under Seth's door as he headed downstairs. He planned on leaving early for school so that he could talk to his coach and catch up on some work he had missed when he decided to bail out on all of his afternoon classes. As he entered the kitchen, Lorraine was on her way in from surfing.

"You're up early," She commented as she headed for the fridge and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"I have stuff to do," Ryan barked back.

"Great, who is going to cover for me?"

"Not me, I'm out, where is your dad? I need to make sure it is okay I go to soccer practice," Ryan asked.

"He is still out catching a few more ways, but I am sure it is okay."

"Right, see ya." Ryan said as he folded up the paper he had been reading, grabbed messenger bag and headed for the front door.

Seth finally woke up after hitting the snooze buttons way too many times. Shit, 7:23 Seth thought, I was supposed to get up more than a half hour ago. He immediately rubbed his eyes and rapidly undressed in his adjoining bathroom, and jumped into the shower. Exactly eight minutes later, he was out of the shower and half way dressed, just standing at his closet door looking for a shirt to sport. By 7:40, he was fully dressed, his hair looked half way decent and his teeth were carelessly brushed. As he opened his door to go down stairs, he finally spotted the note that had been slipped under his door early that morning. He picked it up and tried to make out what it had said.

Seth,

I had some stuff to do this morning and I took the car, so you need to find a ride. I have practice after school, so bring your set of keys, and you can drive it home. See ya at school.

Ryan

Damn it Seth thought, I had to wake up late today didn't I? Now I need to find a ride.

After no luck with the ride situation, Seth hoped on his skateboard and started to head to school. After getting half way to school, he realized that was the last place he wanted to be. So he turned around and headed to the numbered streets.

Ryan was sitting in the library before school, when Marissa spotted him.

"Hi, where have you been lately?" She said as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips and too k the seat next to him.

"Uh, grounded," Ryan stated still concentrating on his school work.

"Oh, but you can come to that bomb fire this weekend though right?" Marissa asked looking at him intensely.

"Actually, I don't think so," Ryan answered sympathetically.

"What? But you're sneaking out right?" Marissa asked seductively.

"I don't know Marissa," Ryan replied finally looking up from his work with an annoyed look on his face, "I am sure their will be many more parties, I don't think it will matter much if I miss one."

"What's your problem? You usually jump at the chance to party."

"I don't know, me and Seth still aren't talking and I kinda feel like it is my fault, I just want to try to mend things with him." Ryan said softly.

"It's Seth, it's not your fault, he will get over it soon." Marissa said rolling her eyes.

"I don't know, I think it is time for some long delayed Seth-Ryan time."

"Whatever, I got class." Marissa said as she stormed off.

Seth finally reached his destination and placed his skateboard up against the apartment buildings walls that were in dying need of a new paint job, as he pounded on Alex's door. He knew it was going to take a lot to get Alex up at 8:30 in the morning. Seth did not subside on the pounding and just as he was about to literally knock the door down, a disheveled Alex came to the door.

"Oh my God, what do you want Seth?" She asked beyond incredibly annoyed, "It is like…" she thought for a second, "I don't know but way too damn early, shouldn't you be in school anyway?"

"Yea, uh, no, I am ditching today, so I thought I would come and surprise you," Seth smiled, "Surprise!"

"I don't like surprises, and I hate them even more when they are at the crack of dawn." Alex stated clearly aggravated.

"C'mon, we can go to breakfast, my treat."

"No I don't do breakfast, now leave and come back in like twelve hours, better yet, DON'T COME BACK!" and with that Alex slammed the door and left Seth their bewildered.

He knew that girls weren't the best morning people, but he had never saw Lorraine, or Summer or even Marissa this cranky in the morning. Now what was he going to do he thought, unless he went back to school, he could still make it for second period.

Seth didn't have much a decision to make, it was either go home and get busted for skipping school, walking around for the next six hours, or going back to school and sitting around for the next six hours.

He went with the only logical choice, school. As he was going through the parking lot and heading towards the quad, he spotted the same three boys that he had encountered yesterday. They too spotted him, and Alex's brother called him over.

"Seth, what's up man?" He greeted placing his blunt in the other hand and giving Seth a "guy" handshake.

"Just trying to find a reason to skip school," Seth said with seriously.

The three boys just chuckled, "hey, you know you can always chill with us, we were thinking about going down to the pier," Alex's brother offered.

Seth thought about it for a millisecond before replying, "I'm down, I have nothing better to do."

Evan and Grant rolled their eyes. They had no idea why Wilson was even be so damn nice to this kid. I mean c'mon, the first day they met him, he was trying to get them to join some comic book club. Doesn't that say enough?

Seth, Wilson, Evan, and Grant all walked down to the pier and spent the day under the boardwalk getting stoned, well except Seth of course. They sat their and talked about everything under the sun. Including, how they even got into Harbour, with their track record, but Seth found out that only Wilson, Alex's brother went to Harbour. He was actually quite intelligent and when he had gotten accepted freshman year, he didn't have the record he had accumulate over the past three years. Evan and Grant did not go to Harbour, but they had met Wilson, who had to do work study at Harbour, taken out the trash one day, when they were picking it up. Evan who was nineteen and Grant who was seventeen were assigned garbage pickup with no pay by the court almost a year ago. Wilson was beyond close to being kicked out of Harbour though, he rarely attended classes, or even work study after school. Dr. Kim already gave him a two weeks warning, the he either attends all of his classes, and work study or he is gone.

Seth rolled into the house a little after 4:00, and Ryan and Lorraine were both still at soccer practice, which he didn't mind, because after yesterday, he didn't think he was going to be talking to Ryan in a long, long time and Lorraine was just way too cool for him, well according to her she was, but Seth would have to agree.

Once Lorraine and Ryan came home and Kirsten and Sandy arrived home from work and wherever Sandy had decided to wander too, they sat down for another family dinner. It was the only time that they all sat together besides the quick morning breakfast that everyone tried to grab in fifteen minutes. As everyone started to seat themselves around the table, Sandy scrunched up his nose and announced, "Someone smells like marijuana?" He immediately turned to Ryan who of course lashed out, "I am not smoking weed!" Sandy reluctantly dropped the subject, he would have to watch for my signs before he made any accusations.


	6. Coming Out of My Cage

_I am so, so, so, sorry that I took me over two months to update this story. This is a short chapter, but I finally think I know where I am going with this story. Thanks so much for the many reviews… please continue giving me my much needed feedback. I hope I will be able to update a lot sooner now. Hope you like it, I know you have been waiting very patiently for it. _

The weekend had finally arrived, not that Ryan was that stoked about it anyway. Since Sandy made it clear, that he was not allowed to go to the bomb fire and all his friends would be at the bomb fire, he had nothing to do and no one to hang out with. Except… he thought… Seth.

Ryan trudged up the stairs jumping every two. When he finally reached Seth's room, he knocked and did not go in until Seth answered, "It's Open" and the moment Ryan stepped in, he began to regret it.

"Well, it wasn't open for you." Seth said coldly turning around quickly in his computer chair to catch a glance at Ryan and then turning back and concentrating on the monitor.

"Right, okay, you're mad at me, and you have a reason to be mad at me, but can we just forget about everything for a night? And just have Seth-Ryan time, like old times, ya know?" Ryan asked almost pleading, "A little Playstation, a little comic book reading, hey, I am even up for some Jenga."

"You're only doing this because dad won't let you go to that bomb fire with your friends." Seth answered distantly as he kept his eyes glued on the comic book website he was checking out.

"No, I am doing this because we don't hang out anymore, let alone hold a conversion, c'mon Seth, you can't pass up this offer."

"You're not much of a "conversion holder" Ryan," Seth said sarcastically as he finally turned off the monitor and headed to the door, "and I already have plans with my friends, but I will see what I can do next weekend, I might be able to squeeze you in." and with that Seth walked out of his bedroom, grinning from ear to ear, he knew he had hurt Ryan, but it was about time he got a taste of his own medicine.

Ryan sat on Seth's bed deflated. I guess I deserved that he thought. Where was Lorraine? He really was up for a game of Jenga and she was his last option, before Captains Oats of course.

Since Lorraine was grounded and could not do much more than play board games with her older brother all night, she clearly didn't refuse Ryan's offer. They actually enjoyed themselves, although neither one of them would ever admit it. I mean, why all their friends sat wasted on the beach, they were sitting at the kitchen table playing scrabble and drinking cokes and nothing else.

Even Seth had more of a life than them at the moment, which was an ultimate first. After an hour of hanging out with Wilson, Evan and Grant and watching them smoke, Seth finally gave in. He needed to unwind and that is exactly what they had kept telling Seth it would do, help him unwind. Seth was higher than a kite after a couple of hits. He couldn't handle alcohol very well, and he was handling the marijuana even worse. His eyes were way beyond blood shot, if his life depended on walking a straight line, well, he wouldn't have a life, he didn't stop complaining about having the munchies, and begging them to head to a store for some chips, or basically anything edible. Two hours later and a couple more hits taken by Seth, and his newly made friends, couldn't take it anymore, well more like Evan and Grant were getting beyond annoyed with his antics, so they hopped in Seth's Hummer and headed towards Seth's house.

Luckily, Sandy had been in his office all night, working on Caleb's case, and Kirsten was in her office at work, working on keeping the Newport Group alive, while Caleb's case was being looked over, so they did not see Seth, non slickly creep into the house, and run to the kitchen were he was met by a very amused Lorraine and Ryan.

"Oh," Seth screeched a little too loudly and then lowered his voice, "I didn't see you guys in here… you scared me."

Ryan shot Lorraine a look and then looked at Seth again, noticing his bloodshot eyes, "Seth, your fucking baked," Ryan laughed.

"Baked," Seth thought, "baked, I like that word, will you bake me something Ryan?" Seth asked, "you have always been good at cooking."

Ryan chose to ignore Seth's request and plainly stated, "you better get upstairs, if dad sees you, he will beat your ass."

"Ryan, only you beat people's asses, and you bake, can you please bake for me?" Seth pleaded, "Please?"

"Lorraine, go get a camera," Ryan laughed, "this moment has to be photographed."

"Yea, because I would love to share that picture with mom and dad," Lorraine retorted before she was interrupted by Ryan's cell phone ringing.

"Chino?" Summer asked on the other end, "you have to come pick up Coop, she is totally knocked out."

Ryan, seriously caring less about the drama going on at the bomb fire, just continued to laugh in Summer's ear.

"Chino, what the hell is so damn funny? Marissa is here, without you might I add, and you're partying it up at your house."

"Summer, you won't believe this," Ryan started, "Seth is so blazed right now."

"Seth… Cohen… is high?" Summer asked in disbelief.

Ryan still hunched over from laughing so hard at the site before his eyes, managed a very ruffled, "yes, he's high as a kite," before Summer could feel a rage blackout coming on.

"Whatev Chino, just get your ass over here and pick up your drunken girlfriend, who you're supposed to be taken care of."

Ryan could here everybody in the background, and he heard Luke getting closer to Summer. "Sum, that's Atwood, let me talk to him."

"Yo, dude, you missed a hot ass party," Luke slurred, "its suck you had to miss it."

"Yea, it did suck, but now I'm glad I'm not there, because if I was, I would miss a blazed Seth."

"You're queer of a brother, is high?" Luke asked laughing along with Ryan, "What the fuck."

"I know dude, he probably had like two hits too, and he's completely gone."

Ryan was still laughing when Summer got on the phone, and screamed, "Chino, you got two minutes to get your ass down to this beach and pick up your girlfriend, or I will hurt you, and your blazed buddy."

Ten minutes later, Ryan was knocking on Sandy's office door and notifying him that he was going out for a while.

"Sandy, I am going to go out for awhile, I won't be long, I will be back in an hour or so."

"Ok, take the Ranger though, because Seth has the Hummer," Sandy said digging into his pockets and throwing Ryan over the keys.

Ryan didn't dare say that Seth was in fact home, because then Sandy might go and check on him and see how his night was, and that would not be a pretty sight, because Sandy could defiantly tell when someone was smoking some reefer. That's why Ryan tried to stay away from it; he never could get away with it, if he didn't.

Once he arrived at the bomb fire, it was still in full swing, and many of his buddies approached him, offering him a hand and a beer. After four offers, he finally took Logan up on the offer, and accepted the beer. One beer, no one would ever know, they usually never knew when he had four beers.

Getting Marissa into the car was harder than Ryan had remembered from the last time he had to do this, which was what, less than two weeks ago. He hated this about Marissa, yea Ryan did like to chug down a couple of beers, and sure he loved to party it up with his friends, but Marissa went out of control, every time she even came close to any amount of alcohol and Ryan was always the one, helping her, holding her hair back, dragging her into the car, and the carrying her up to her bed.

By the time Ryan was half way home, Marissa decided to wake up and of course, what did she have to do, puke.

Ryan pounded on the steering wheel, how the hell would he explain this to Sandy and Kirsten.

By the time he arrived home, it had been a little over an hour and Sandy was out of his office and Kirsten finally returned from the office. Lorraine had informed Ryan, that after Seth ate almost everything in the fridge and pantry combined; he headed up to his room to "crash." He headed to the kitchen to get some paper towels and some cleanser to clean up the mess that Marissa had made, without having to tell his parents exactly what happened.

"Where are you going with those?" Kirsten asked suspicious, "What spilled?"

"Oh, I spilled some coke on the seat in the Rover," Ryan answered.

"Oh, then don't worry about it, I will just sent it to the dealership tomorrow, the leather needs some cleaning anyway."

"Well, I will just soak it up."

"How much did you spill that it needs to be soaked up?"

"A lot."

"A lot, Ryan, you didn't get it all over did you?" Kirsten asked becoming aggravated, "you didn't get anything on those papers in the car did you?"

God I hope not, Ryan thought to himself.

"I don't think so."

Kirsten sighed, and followed Ryan out to the car, despite Ryan's attempts of telling her, he can handle it.

Once Kirsten saw the vomit on the passenger seat and door, she raised her eyebrows in question.

"Well, this surely looks like coke."

Ryan sighed, "sorry, Marissa got a little sick, when I was driving her home."

"Uh huh," Kirsten said suspiciously, "I want it all cleaned up, and you can pay for the cleaning, or she can pay, ya know, because she did it."

Well, overall Ryan thought, this night wasn't too bad, at least him and Seth were talking to each other and not arguing. Let's see if it lasts, Ryan contemplated.

_Thanks again guys, please review! _


	7. You Channeled All Your Pain

Hey everyone, ehh.. this chapter did not turn out as well as I thought I would, oh well, I will try again next time right. I am glad, you all like Ryan in this story, I wish Ryan was a little bit more like this on the show, but hey, I'm not complaining.

"You going to that lame ass fall fest party tonight?" Luke asked Ryan as they ran laps around the soccer field early Saturday morning.

"Not if I can help it, but I doubt I can get out of it," Ryan sighed, "but you're going right?"

"My mom is making me," Luke replied, "My brothers are at my grandma's for the weekend, and my mom said she doesn't trust me to stay home alone, she says I will throw a party."

"Well, you would."

"Shut up Chino, you would get the most hammered."

"I would get hammered, and then laid, so it's all good."

Luke just playfully punched him and laughed, Ryan did always have a way with the ladies.

Ryan and Lorraine stepped into the Cohen household after soccer practice, only to hear Sandy and Kirsten arguing in the kitchen.

"Sandy, you're going to that party tonight."

"Honey, I have tons of work to do, I will never get it all finished before your fathers hearing, I can't go."

"You have been working, all day and all night for the last week, you can take a couple hours out to spend some time with your family."

"Family time?" Sandy scoffed, "Kirsten, you're kidding, you call your newpsies parties, family time? If I wanted family time, I would rent "Over The Top", and the five of us would sit down and watch it together, or we could go to Vegas, you know how much I love the Vegas, but these parties, no, not considered family time."

"Why isn't it family time, the five of us go together."

"We might arrive together, but ten minutes into the evening, Ryan, Seth and Lorraine, are off stealing alcohol and sneaking off into vacant bedrooms, and were pretending to like the people at the party, and more specifically, I am pretending to like your father. God that gives me the chills."

"You Know Sandy…" Kristen started before she was interrupted, by Ryan.

"I hope were not interrupting anything," Ryan joked as he opened the refrigerator and retrieved two bottles of Gatorade.

"No, actually you're not, just letting your father know, the five of us have to be ready by 7 for that party tonight." Kirsten shot a quick glance at Sandy and dared him to protest.

"Oh, about that mom," Seth said coming into the kitchen from upstairs, "I can't go, I have to work."

"What? Seth I told you a week ago about this party."

"I know, sorry, Bright Eyes is playing tonight and Alex is expecting it to be a busy night."

"Fine, Seth, you don't have to go," Kirsten answered reluctantly.

"Wait, if Seth's not going, then I don't have to go right?" Ryan asked.

"Of Course you do, why wouldn't you go?"

"Because I just remembered I have tons of homework, and I don't want to fall behind."

"You can do your homework tomorrow," Sandy joined in the argument.

"I don't want to procrastinate; I need to get it done."

"Ryan, that's enough, you're going, end of conversion," Sandy raised his voice, making it clear, that he was indeed attending the party.

"Sorry, Ryan, I guess only me and Seth get to stay home."

"Wait, why are you staying home?" Seth asked his sister.

"I'm grounded, I can't leave the house."

"You just left for soccer practice, and you're going tonight," Kirsten retorted becoming annoyed.

"But, I mean, you and dad are always so busy mingling at these things, you don't know how much trouble I can get into."

"We'll put you on a leash, okay?" Sandy exasperated, "Everybody is going but Seth, got it? Good. Be ready by 7." And with that, Sandy headed to his office and slammed the door.

Seven o'clock had come and gone and Ryan was now more than just a little buzzed from the alcohol, Ryan, Luke and company was able to mooch from the bartender. They had decided to ditch the party that was currently going on in the courtyard of the Newport Beach Country Club, and headed to the golf course.

"Dude, look at this," Colin slurred, as the three other boys came over to the golf cart, "we could just like cruise in this."

All four of the boys just laughed and cheered, acting like they had never seen a golf cart before.

All four piled in, and surprisingly the key was in the ignition, Luke hopped into the driver's seat and took off. They were having a blast, seeing how fast the little cart could go, and see how much air they could get jumping over some hills.

Kirsten and Sandy had been looking for Ryan for sometime now, well it was more just Sandy looking for Ryan, because Sandy has spent a fair amount of time at this party already, and he was ready to call it a night, but they couldn't until the found Ryan. They had threatened Lorraine, that if she went more than a ten miles radius of her parents, her punishment would be awfully longer than planned.

Luke was still driving around every inch of the golf course, when Luke heard a "crash" in the back seat, and then a "Fuck"

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" Luke asked turning around to see a broken vodka flask all over the back seat and the floor of the golf cart. Luckily there wasn't much vodka left. "You guys just wasted fucking vodka, nice," Luke said sarcastically.

"See if you can come up with some of that shit for me," Luke told Colin before taking one of his hands of the wheel and digging his finger into puddles of vodka and the sucking on his finger.

"LUKE, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" Ryan screamed to Luke, and tried to take the wheel, but Luke was going the other way so all it did, was make them run into a little shack, that was meant for a rest stop and the scoring tables.

As soon as they hit the shack, an alarm went off and all the guys jumped out of the car and ran indifferent directions.

"Seth, how many fucking hits have you had?" Wilson asked Seth, as Seth sat on the corner of some Costa Mesa street.

"Not enough," Seth laughed.

"We're gonna have to hook you up with your own dealer, dude, soon you're gonna be begging us for weed everyday."

"Can I have more weed?" Seth asked

"No, no more weed," Evan answered, "you guys went to head up to that party, at Bay Shores, I guess it is raging."

"I'm down, lets go," Grant said jumping into his car.

As soon as Ryan got back to the Cohen house, he was out of breath, and sweating like a pig. It was 10:04; the Cohen's usually came back from these parties at about 11:00, so Ryan had to come up with a good lie by then.

"Honey, have you seen Ryan?" Sandy asked his wife as he approached the table where she was sitting by herself sipping a red wine.

"No, I have been looking for him; you haven't seen him around either?" Kirsten asked her husband.

"No, and I have been looking everywhere."

"He probably found a hiding spot to drink."

"Well its 10:30, are you about ready to go?"

"You're just going to leave him here?"

"Why not? He is so anxious to get away from us."

"Sandy lets look around for a little bit more, I don't want to leave him here, if he is drunk, the police will pick him up and then we will have that to deal with."

"Fine, you get the upstairs, Lorraine can have downstairs and I will have the grounds."

As soon as Sandy walked into the house, he headed up the stairs and into Ryan's room, where he found Ryan sleeping in his bed.

"Kirsten, he's here, he's sleeping," Sandy shouted down the stairs to his wife.

"Not anymore, I'm not," Ryan said half asleep.

"Oh, good, so you can explain to me why you left the party and didn't say anything to your parents."

"I didn't feel good,"

"How'd you get home?" Kirsten asked once she entered the room and walked over to put a hand on his forehead to see if he was warm, "you don't feel too warm," she looked skeptically at him.

"I got a ride home from Luke," He just shrugged, "I had a stomach ache earlier, and I just wanted to come home."

"Wait, the same Luke, who was nearly arrested for stealing a golf cart, driving that golf cart drunk and running it into a golf shack? Sandy asked quite amused, "was that the Luke?"

Shit Ryan thought, "no, not that Luke, the Luke who just moved here, Luke uh… uh… Mango, I think that's what his last name is." I'm dead Ryan thought to himself.

"Oh, I met his mother tonight," Kirsten piped in, "I thought she said he was fifteen though," Kirsten questioned.

"He must have gotten his license early," Ryan quickly responded.

"Right," Sandy said looking at his son and then at his wife, "You will have to invite him over one of these days, because I am sure Luke… Ward won't be out for awhile, after the look I saw on his mother's face."

"Yea… maybe," Ryan smiled.

"We will talk about it tomorrow, night kiddo." Sandy said as Kirsten leaned in for a kiss on his forehead.

Sandy quietly shut the door, "Think he's lying?" Sandy asked chuckling.

"Defiantly," Kirsten answered not half as amused as Sandy seemed to be.

"Well, he didn't get caught with Luke, so we just let it go; he got away with this one."

"You know, Lorraine is right," Kirsten looked at her husband annoyed, "you do favor the boys."

"I do not, he didn't get caught Kirsten, let it go."

"I smelled alcohol on his breath."

"Fine, you want to ground him, go for it, I'm not going to be part of it," Sandy said leaving Kirsten furious with her hands on her hips.

It was past three a.m. when Ryan's cell phone started ringing and did not stop until Ryan finally realized that the moron on the other end must not have realized it was the middle of the night and would not be leaving him alone anytime soon. As soon as Ryan answered the phone and heard the voice on the other end, he jumped out of bed and started pulling a pair of jeans on over his boxers and a hoodie on over his wife beater.

"Yo, is this Ryan, Seth's brother?" Wilson asked Ryan.

"Yea," Ryan answered immediately, trying to cover up how worried he was, "what's up? Is Seth alright?"

"Uh, I think he is okay, he is passed out now, this kid defiantly does not have a tolerance for weed, or alcohol."

Ryan sighed, Seth smoking weed? Even Seth drinking was pretty far fetched, "Where are you guys?"

"We're at this house party up at bay shores."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," and with that Ryan hung up and punched in a new number on his cell phone.

"Marissa?" Ryan asked once Marissa answered her phone half asleep.

"Ryan?" she questioned.

"Yea, its me, hey, I need you to do me a favor, I need to borrow your car," He started, "Seth is at some party down at the shores, and I need to go pick him up, he has our car, and I obviously can't take the Rover or else my parents will find out."

Not totally comprehending all the rambling that just came out of her boyfriend, Marissa agreed and said "I will leave the keys on my front porch," before she hung up and went back to bed.

Ten minutes later Ryan pulled onto a small street that was dimly lit and was unbearably loud. Clearly, Bay Shores partied well into the early morning. Ryan did not recognize anybody from school when he stepped into the sizably smaller house than the Cohen's.

After looking around most of the house, he finally spotted his curly haired brother lying on the kitchen floor. Yea, Seth defiantly did not handle illegal substances to well.

Wilson, Grant and Evan, reluctantly agreed to follow Ryan to Marissa's house where he dropped off her car, and then carried Seth into the Hummer, but as he was driving home, he still had no idea what he would do with Seth once they got back home.


End file.
